Posted on 04/10/2005 8:50:22 AM PDT by tgslTakoma
Every Friday, 8-10 P.M. Shed Light On US War Casualties: Vigil Contacts: Ann Wilcox 202-xxx-xxxx; Ellen Taylor: 202-xxx-xxxx, dc@codepinkalert.org
CODEPINK recently held a nightly vigil at Walter Reed Army Medical Center from Friday, March 25 to Friday, April 1, at the North Gate (7200 Georgia Ave. at Elder Street, NW- see below for directions). It was a very successful action bringing together peace activists, soldiers, military families and neighbors. We will continue the vigil every Friday as a reminder that physically and psychologically wounded soldiers are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan every night. Late at night – several nights per week – gravely and seriously wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan arrive at Walter Reed, and Bethesda Naval Medical Center, for treatment – under the cover of darkness. These soldiers are the most seriously-wounded, with shattered limbs requiring prostheses and physical therapy, brain injuries and mental disorders. Soldiers are flown from US military hospitals in Germany – arriving at Andrews AFB and Walter Reed under the cover of night. We believe the nighttime arrivals are scheduled on purpose so as to prevent the public from knowing about the numbers of soldiers wounded and the severity of their injuries. The “hiding” of the severely-wounded is in keeping administration policy of prohibiting photographs of coffins arriving at Dover Air Force Base. (For investigative reporting of the Walter Reed arrivals, see Mark Benjamin’s articles, “The Invisible Wounded,” at www.salon.com on March 8, 2005. For Benjamin’s reporting on the psychiatric ward at Walter Reed, see “Behind the Walls of Ward 54,” Feb. 18, 2005.) Even after their stealth arrival at Walter Reed, soldiers must begin a bureaucratic battle to obtain sufficient disability benefits to provide an adequate quality of life. Initial determinations of military pension amounts (10-20% of salary, for example), made by the Army’s Medical Review Board, are often inadequate, and must be appealed to the Veterans Administration (which, to its credit, often increases the lifetime disability payment). We also vigil to protest ongoing cuts in the Veterans Administration budget made by the very same administration that sends these soldiers to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. For example, the FY05 budget institutes a new health care enrollment fee and increases prescription drug co-pays for middle-income veterans. The VA budget is not fully funded, failing by more than $2.6 billion to fully fund quality veterans’ health care. Despite strongly lobbying by veterans organizations, the Bush administration fails to recognize veterans as an extension of the costs of war. Other FY05 budget cuts in educational, vocational and adult education, and family support programs also directly impact veterans and their families. VIGIL WITH US – to honor the sacrifice of the troops and bring to light the seriousness of their injuries. We refuse to allow the government to conceal the true face of war – and the true cost of war – under a blanket of darkness.
As they are taken from the FRONT LINE to the BACK DOOR
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 7200 Georgia Ave., at Elder St., NW
If so, I hope I see you on Friday.
Our goal is to educate passers-by and folks entering and leaving WRAMC about the true agenda and allegiances of Code Pink. There are times and places for loud chants and ridicule of Code Pink, and for PW style operations, but (IMO) this isn't it.
I hope that doesn't sound harsh or negative WRT Protest Warrior, because I don't mean it to be. They are very effective doing what they do and I enjoy reading their reports and watching the videos they shoot. Countering Code Pink at Walter Reed's gates requires a more subdued approach, I guess you could say.
Thanks for the ping, USMC Veteran.
See you Friday.
Ewwwwww!
RE: What time is the meet?
...Ummm, I defer to the Boss.
Warlord?
Should we meet at 7? 7:30? 7:45? 8:00?
...
Hurry and decide, please.
And post the meet time in BIG, PINK LETTERS, please.
Thanks.
:-)
Sorry for being so slow to respond, 'pod. I have had some other stuff to attend to. Freepmail is in your box.
Cab or bus from Metro is probably advised.
It sickens me that this socialist group would choose to protest at the sight where our precious military people go to recover....that they would hurt them this way...by demeaning their hearts and souls dedicated to fight for freedom and justice and defense of our beloved country.
If this group were sending flowers into each room, if this group were THANKING THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE, if this group were compassionate and understanding, if they understoof that FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE and as long as tyrants exist that mass execute their own and threaten others, there CAN BE NO PEACE...they would be doing something very different.
What a bunch of losers.
Lucky for them, they live in America. The soldiers they mock are no different from the soldiers of yesteryear, who gave their all so that we might be free.
Nail these traitors.
Let me know what you decide. Maybe you can Metro up with Kristinn from Union Station, if Amtrak works out for you.
We'll do our best, Republic.
She had a chance to see the fruits of her revolutionary fervor up close and personal courtesy of a free ride home to Russia and what did she do?
Ran away with her cowardly pink ass to France.
Death in family, I have to go to Ohio.
BufordP and I shall be there.
Kristinn, you need to set a time for our forces to muster in reply to #85. It's your call Boss, but I suggest that it would be best to arrive a least somewhat ahead of the traitors.
We need as many of you as possible this Friday night, probably starting at 7 to 8 pm at a time that kristinn should designate in the next day.
During our last encounter with Code Pink a couple weeks back (my report: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1374288/posts?page=64#64) , they sent three disrupters over to our side of the street. Two held "Kill the Poor" signs, apparently thinking that they would discredit us by standing next to us. One of the leftists ranted madly about killing various ethnic groups and then claimed that he had a gun in his pocket.
Before a police officer finally arrived in response to our repeated 911 calls, the 3 disruptive leftists slithered away down a side street, taking off their outer clothes to avoid identification. Instead of searching for the man who claimed he had a gun (basically illegal by itself in DC), the officer asked to see our demonstration permit.
Please help us peacefully stand up against this attempted intimidation.
[Pinged to dagnabbit; trueblackman; staytrue; leadpenny; rabidralph; mason-dixon; YourAdHere; xthe17th; mudboy slim; flora mcdonald; merry10; elpatriota; cobol2java; pageonetoo; ned13; hobblemaster; doctor raoul]
See my #95 above. If you could possibly join us in this important FReep, we would be most appreciative.
Pinging you because you all posted on the earlier thread and apparently you are not too far from DC, save for AGreatPer (who, IIRC, has good relatives that might put him up quite near to DC).
At any rate, bmwcyle can't make it this time because of a death of a relative out of town.
beandog, just to let you know: the DC police have been good to great with us over 90 percent of the time, including when they kept us safe from anarchists who had planned to "bash some skulls." Fortunately, the Code Pinkos are unlikely to pose such a severe risk.
Family comes first. My condolences to your family, bmw. We'll see you next time around.
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